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An Evaluation of the Living After Loss Intervention - Part 1: Do Bereavement-Related Outcomes Vary by the Content of Support Groups?

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Group-based interventions for recently bereaved spouses may provide support and friendship through the commonality of experiences that are shared among the members of the group. This study compares the experiences and characteristics of persons in 35 different support groups from the Living After Loss (LAL) study, with particular emphasis on the question: Does the chemistry of the group affect the longer term adjustment outcomes associated with bereavement? Results suggest that, perhaps, those groups that foster the greatest sense of mutual support and have the most effective group leaders may be associated with more favourable bereavement-related outcome, especially stress related growth. Challenges associated with evaluating the effectiveness of group-based interventions are also discussed.

Source: PubMed

Authors: Rebecca L Utz, Michael Caserta, Dale Lund

Institutions: University of Utah, California State University, San Bernardino

Language: English

Topic: Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Awards: Promoting Health for All by Improving Research Capacity, Dual Process Intervention for Recently Bereaved Spouses